Ho model



PATENTED FEBQ 16,1904.

L. MILLET; GAS METER.

APPLIUATION FILED AUG. 26, 1901.

4 sums-sum 1.

N0 MODEL.

PATENTED FEB. 16, 1904.;

L. MILLET.

- GAS METBB.. Ap pmuzon FILED we. 26. 1901.

4 sums-sum 2.

H0 MODEL.

TH: 04pm]: FETERS co, FHUfu-LlYHO.,WAS)-1NGTON. h. c.

No. 752,350, ""PATENTED FEB.1 6, 1904. L. MILLBT', GAS METER.

APPL'IGATIONIPILED we. as. 1901.

K0 MODEL.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3- No. 752,350. PATENTED FEB. 16, 1904.

' L. MILLBT.

GAS METER.

rrmonzon FILED AUG. 26, 1901.

I0 monm. 4 SHEETSSHEET 4.

Flqll j UNITED STATES Patented February 16, 1904;

PATENT OFFICE.

I LAURENT MILLET, or mine, FRANCE, ASSIGNOR T0 n ooMPAonm POUR LA FABRICATION nus conrrnuns ET MATERIEL DUSINES A GAZ, or Pants, FRANCE.

jeAs-METERQ SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 752,350, dated February 16; 1904. nii iicamnniea'au m 26.19013. $erialNo. 73,395. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern/.- W

Be it known that I, LAURENT MILLnT, a citi-v zen of the Republic of France, residing at Paris, France, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in orRelatingto Gas- Meters, (for which I have made application for Letters Patent in Great Britain under No. 96,064, dated August 9, 1901, and in France, dated August 7,1901) of which the following is aspecification. Q I

The present invention relates to a gas-meter in which the operative measuring device or paddle-wheel is so constructed as to balance the interior pressures in the longitudinal direction of the axis, and it is combined with a compensating device. provided in order to avoid incorrect measurement, which might otherwise be caused through variations in the water-level in the meter. I

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which-, Figure 1 represents a front view of the meter forming the subject-matter of the present invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical section on the Fig; 3 represents a perspective View of the whole paddle-wheel of the meter. Fig. 4 is a-vertical section on the line (1D of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 shows oneelement of the parts which together form the paddlewheel of Fig. 3. Fig. 6 illustrates schematically in vertical section a modification of the meter. Fig; 7 is acfront view o f the compensating mechanismv with theoretical. lines v for the better understanding .of the working.

Fig. 8 is a modification of the outer form of the compensator. Fig. 9 represents the same compensator with an ordinary paddle-Wheel for the counter. Fig. 10 shows another form of construction of the paddle-wheel of the meter, andFig. 11 is a sectionon the line E F of Fig. 10. r

The measuring of the gas is efiiected by means of a Wheel (2, which instead of comprising a drum is dividedinto a numberofcom partments by means of welded or riveted partitions and is constituted byjthe combination of a series of symmetrical plates a, formed by expanding, heating, or stamping in such a manner as not to present on its surfaces obstacles which would offer resistance either to 5 the motion of the wheel in the water or to the circulationof the gas or of the water in the different 'compartments of the said wheel.

The connection of the plates is effected by means of a'circular clamp or joint, and they arejoined'together by means of soldering at the point of assemblage, the soldering being in single or multiple, according to the case.

Each element constituting the wheel is formed with flat or rounded-off surfaces g g,

Fig. ,5, lying in different planes and connected by an inclined surface, which may be helicoidal, flat, or undulated. A circular and rounded When all the parts are assem- I the corresponding walls of the adjacent element 2. compartment or box, into which the gas entersthrough an interior inlet a, which 7 is arranged between the edge z; of one of the walls 9 and the interior rounded surface forming the intersection of the connecting-wall h of the adjacent element with the wall g of this element. The outlet-orifice sof each of the compartments or boxes is formed by the free space left between the opposite edge u and the exterior rounded surface of the corresponding wall h. A circular connectihg-settiugcis arrangedupon the circumference of the rim 4" and the partition g, which permits of an easy connection of all the parts, which connection can be completed by means ofone or more solderings in order to assure the perfect tightness of the, joint. The elements thusarranged 3 5 divide the fly-wheel into two symmetrical parts, one on the'right and the other on the left of the central distributing-chamber, and

the separate partitions of thecompartments of each section are inclined in ,anopposite di- 9 rection to those of the other section in such a manner that the pressures exerted by the gas upon these walls are opposed the one to the other, and so equalize each other.

Among other important advantages is the possibility of giving the interior vanes h an a motor, a use to which the ordinary wheels without increasing at the same time the re' sistance of-the water to the movementsof the paddle-wheel. This resistance, which increases much more rapidly than the speed itself, determines the fluctuations of the level and of the pressure prejudicial to the good working of the meter and also in a certain measure to that of other apparatusviz.', purifiers, extractors, which feel the eflfects of increase of pressure resulting from the accelerations of the speed of the wheel.

The rotary speed of the wheelof the present invention, which wheel is provided with two drums, can, on the contrary, be subject to variations and considerably exceed the maximum limits generally admitted to the other wheels without modifying in any form the.

exactness of the meter and without sensibly influencing the absorbed pressure. This peculiarity is of great interest, since from it results the possibility of being able to measure large volumes with meters of relatively reduced dimensions and to utilize the gaspressure as mechanical force in employing the present wheel, not merely as a meter, but as in consequence of their large dimensions are totally unsuited, for instance, in'gas-works for raising the water for the watering of the scrubbers, for operating a rotary washer in order to work a ventilator serving for the revivification of the purifying material and the like. The wheel has in its diflerent applications the advantage over all other motors of I developing a power exactly proportional to the volume of the gas used, 'a condition generally very favorable for the good working of the apparatus, in which it serves as an auxiliary medium.

The wheel is of a small weight in comparison with other systems, and it is possible to give the rotary axis a small diameter and to diminish also thereby the pressure-absorbed by friction.

In consequence of the small space between the opposite plate and parallel to the axis of the same drum the interior plates have only a small surface in spite of their great inclination, whichfacilitates their motion in the water. Their deformation is therefore notto be feared during the rotation, and it is unnecessary to equip them with corner orother irons, which, on the contrary, are necessary for the other wheels and which contribute to increase the absorption of pressure. On the other hand, the special form of the expanded surfaces has been calculated so that in the interval which takes place between the moment when the compartment ceases to admit the gas and that when its outlet-orifice s is uncovered the volume contained in this compartment undergoes a deformation which diminishes progressively the pressure by a quantity nearly equal to the mean absorption of the pressure of the wheel. It results therefrom that the pressure in this compartment at the moment when the outlet-orifice 8 becomes uncovered is practically equal to the outlet-pressure and that no variation in level or in pressure is produced when the gas commences to escape from said compartment. This deformation regulates the motive pressure of the gas upon the vanes, and consequently the motion of the wheel. Amuch greater steadiness of. plane is thus obtained than is possible with the already-known wheels.

The wheel of the present invention comprises also as a distinguishing feature a contraction g toward the center for the purpose of preventing the measuring capacity being very sensibly influenced through the variations of the water-level and which permits in case of need to considerably raise the level in order to replace the quantity of the water which has been removed through evaporation without stopping the working of the meter.

The compensation of the measuring differences'arising fromthe variations of the waterlevel in the meter is obtained by means of the combination, with the wheel a, of another small compensating drum 5, which taking up the gas already passed through the measuringwheel a causes it to pass again into the distributing-chamber. This compensator comprises a drum 1) of circular form, Fig. 7, or of polygonal form, Fig. 8, divided into a number of compartments d by means of partitions 0. The inlet-orifices e and the outlet-orifices s of the compartments 0? are formed by means of spaces left between the lateral walls of these compartments and are arranged in the desired direction, so that the compensator b restores to the inlet of the wheel a certain quantity of gas which has already passed the latter. Under these conditions the volume really delivered by the meter is a differential volume equal to the measuring capacity of the wheel a, less that of the compensator b. Consequently it is suflicient that the wheel a and thecompensator Z) are constructed so'that the variations of the water level effect determine'the same increase or decrease of area in each of them'in-order that the measuring is not influenced by the height of the water-line.

Figs. 1, 2, and'6 represent the new compensator with the wheel and-central distributingchamber. The compensator can also occupy different positions relatively to anordinary wheel or to a wheel with a central distributing-chamber, one of which is represented in Fig. 6 only as example. r

The compensator of the present invention is distinguished from the known systems by this peculiarity, that nearly its total volume is utilized for the compensation, while the apparatus of the same kind always takes, even when the water is at its normal level, a relatively considerable quantity of gas, which passes again uselessly to the inlet of the measuring-wheel, thereby reducing the measuring capacity of the latter. Other inconveniences proceed from the fact that the compensators actually in use inclose at the normal level a quantity of gas relatively large with reference to their total volume. Indeed, taking into account the mechanical yield of the apparatus, it is obvious that the work which it has to perform to restore in a medium submitted to the entrance-pressure the volume entrapped uselessly at the normal level to the exit-pressure is greater than the motive effort that thesame volume has already produced in the wheel itself. The rotation of the wheel is further hindered by a resistance which it added to that resulting from the fact that the compensators are generally totally or partially in the wheel itself and constitute an obstacle for the admission and exit of the water. In order to avoid this drawback, the compensator is preferably placed outside the wheel itself, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The compensator b is placed in this form of construction'in front of the wheel a. in a space f connected with the main part p of the meter by means of a tube Z, so that the tube 2' for supplying the gas to the wheel serves at the same time as a discharge-tube to the compensator, and the latter can be put in place after the mounting of all the other parts.

The particular arrangement of the present compensator allows of its use in conjunction with an ordinary wheel such as is represented in Fig. 9 for the transformation of the latter into a wheel of constant and accurate measuring capacity. It must also be noted that when a compensator is either totally or partially arranged in the wheel it reduces doubly the capacity of the latter, first, by the space which it occupies'in the wheel above the normal level, and, secondly, by the volume which it allows to pass unutilized back again from the outlet to the inlet.

For the reasons just explained and in order to reduce the resistance of their water to a minimum it is of greatest importance that when at the normal level the compensator should be immersed in the water, so as not to appreciably diminish the capacity of the wheel. In order to effect this result, it is evident that the diameter of the compensator should be equal to or scarcely exceed twice the distance from the center to the normal water-level. If one adopts adiameter thus reduced for the already-known compensators,

the compensation would be entirely insuflicient, especially between the high and the median level, for this reason, that at the normal level and also a little lower the compensator being nearly under water would only entrap a very small quantity of gas precisely at the moment where, on the contrary, it ought to compensate to a large extent, since for the same lowering of the water-level the error is necessarily greater at a high level than at the middle or median low level. The compensation will only be sufficient and regular at the middle level. In order to overcome this drawback while utilizing for the compensation nearly the total volume of the compensator, a form of blades or plates is used in the latter entirely different from those already known and which admit of the construction of the compensators being similar to that of the gas-meters.

Instead of limiting the number of blades, as in the ordinary wheels, to four preferably three, four, five, six, seven, or more may be employed, according to the position of the water-line and the capacity of the meter, and a special and dissymmetric form is given them with reference to the entrance and outlet orifices, as shown in Fig. '7. The wheel itself and the compensator can be employed separatelyi. a, the wheel can be employed alone as an ordinary meter or with another kind of compensator, and the compensator can be applied to another system of wheel.

This invention offers the following advantages:

First. The diameter ofthe compensator can be reduced, so that the volume entrapped at the normal level, otherwise the useless volume, which passes uselessly from the outlet to the inlet, is very small and in all cases negligible relatively to the useful volume of the compensator. It is also possible to diminish the useless volume by a polygonal form of periphery of the compensator instead of a circular form, as shown in Fig. 8.

. Second. The interior partitions c in consequence of their small extent, resulting from the small diameter of the compensator, offer only an insignificant resistance to the movement of the wheel, so that it is useless to incline them upon the shaft 0. The doing away with the reduction of the inclination generally adopted for the partitions 0 serves to. prevent the pressure of the gas in a direction parallel to the axis of the shaft 0, which pressure would be prejudicial to the satisfactory working of the meter.

Third. In consequence of the dissymmetry of the compartments d with reference to the entrances eand the outlets s and of the arrangement of the blades or plates the volume of the entrapped gas is progressivelybrought by the movement of the meter itself from the pressure of the outlet to that of the inlet, so that no fluctuation of the water-level or of the pressure is produced when the outlet-orifices emerge from the water.

With reference to the theoretical diagram shown in Fig. 7 the line w represents the position of the water-line in the compartment d at the moment where .the inlet-orifice e of this compartment reenters the water. The line 00 represents the position of the water-line in the same compartment d at the moment when its outlet-orifice eemerges. These two lines to and w are .at different distances from the center, and the difference between these distances represents the quantity measured in the height of the water, of which the pressure of the volume of gas inclosed in the compartment cl is increased duringthe interval which elapses between the time when the orifice 00f this compartment reenters the water and that at which its orifice s emerges.

It is sufficient to arrange the partitions 0 so that the difference may be equal to the mean absorption of the meter, so that the emersion of the outlet-orifice s of the compensator d does not produce any disturbance in the movement of the meter, inasmuch as in these conditions the volume of the gas contained in the meter at the side of the entrance and that restored by the compensation combine at the same pressure.

The same phases above described occur when the water of the meter is at its median level or any other level. The line y indicates the position of the water-line at the medial level in this compartment d at the moment when the inlet-orifice of this compartment reenters the water, and the line .2 indicates the corresponding position of the water-line at the moment Where the outlet-orifice of the compartment d emerges from the water.

The casing 12 of the meter represented in Figs. 1 and 2 presents rounded surfaces for the object of facilitating the formation of all constitutive parts of said casing by stamping and their jointing by means of soldering.

An arrangement of fixing-brackets 10 which conjointly with a projection q, placed under the reservoir 1". for receiving the excess water, permits of placing the meter either on a horizontal or vertical surface.

The particular mode of assemblage of the elements constituting the wheel and the casing which, with the substitution of the stamped surfaces for flat surfaces employed in the construction of ordinary wheels, reduces the number of solderings considerably and also the handwork, for which an almost entirely mechanical operation is substituted. Consequently a great reduction of cost and labor is effected, combined with greater exactness of manufacture and saving of repairs or alterations, which are usually necessitated after the testing of the meters, these alterations being necessitated by the unavoidable imperfections due to manual work.

Another form of construction of the wheel a above described is represented in Figs. 10 andll, in this construction, constituted by two drums a b, the blades instead of having stamped rims being formed by means of plane surfaces g and helicoids it, connected to a cylindrical part of the wheel by means of soldering or riveting. The entrance of the gas takes place in the central space d between the drums a and b, which constitute also the distributing-chamber. This modification has not certain of the advantages above mentioned, but is, however, suitable for wheels of great capacity, for which the manufacture by expanding or stamping presents certain difliculties, especially from the point of view of the construction of working tools therefor.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a gas-meter, a casing, an inlet for gas to the casing, an outlet for gas from the casing, and a rotary measuring-wheel comprising a double series of compartments radiating from the center, said compartments being narrower at the center than at the periphery, substantially as described.

2. In a gas-meter, a casing, an inlet for gas to the casing, an outlet for gas from the casing, and a rotary measuring-wheel comprising a double series of compartments radiating from thecenter, said compartments being narrower at the center than at the periphery, said wheel being provided with a contraction q toward its center.

3. In a gas-meter, the combination with a casing, an inlet for gas to the casing, an outlet for gas from the casing, and a rotary measuring-wheel consisting of a plurality of sym-. metrical plates soldered together round the circumference to constitute a double series of compartments radiating from the center.

4. In a gas-meter, the combination with a casing, an inlet for gas to the casing, an outlet for gas from the casing, a rotary measuringwheel comprising a plurality of symmetrical plates soldered together round the circumference to constitute a double series of compartments radiating from the center, and means for leadingthe gas at the entrance-pressure into the center of the measuring-wheel.

5. In a gasmeter, the combination with a casing, an inlet for gas to the casing, an outlet for gas from the casing, and a rotary measuring-wheel consisting of a plurality of symmetrical plates soldered together round the circumference to constitute a double series of compartments radiating from the center, means for leading the gas at the entrance-pressure into the center of the measuring-wheel and means for causing the pressure of the gas within the measuring-wheel to fall from the pressure of entry to the pressure of outlet.

6. In a gas-meter for invariable supply the combination with a casing containing a mass of water, an inlet for gas to the casing an outlet for gas from the casing, a rotary measuring-wheel comprising a double series of compartments radiating from the center, a compensating paddle-wheel on the same spindle as the measuring-wheel arranged to take up the excess of gas caused by the variation of the water-level so as to bring the excess of gas back again into the distributing-chamber and of a measuring-wheel.

7. In a gas-meter for invariable supply the combination with a casing containing a mass of water, an inlet for gas to the casing an outlet for gas from the casing a rotary measuring-wheel consisting of a plurality of symmetrical plates soldered together round the circumference to constitute a double series'of compartments radiating from the center, a compensating paddle-wheel on the same spindle as the measuring-wheel arranged to take up the excess of gas caused by the variation of the water-level so as to bring the excess of gas back again into the distributing-chamber of the measuring-wheel.

8. In a gas-meter for invariable supply the combination with acasing containing a mass of Water, an inlet for gas to the casing an outlet for gas from the casing a rotary measuring-wheel consisting of a plurality of symmetrical plates soldered together round the circumference to constitute a double series of compartments radiating from the center and means for leading the gas at the entrance-pressure into the center of the measuring-wheel,-

a compensating paddle wheel on the same spindle as the measuring-wheel arranged to take up the excess of gas caused by the variation of the water-level so as to bring the excess of gas back again into the distributingchamber or the measuringwheel.

9. In a gas-meter for invariable supply the combination with a casing containing a mass of water, an inlet for gas to the casing an outlet for gas from the casing a rotary measuring-wheel consisting of a plurality of symmetrical plates soldered together round the circumference to constitute a double series of compartments radiating from the center means for leading the gas at the entrance-pressure into the center of the measuring-wheel, and

means for causing the pressure of the gas within the measuring-wheel to fall from the pressure of entry to the pressure of outlet, a compensating paddle-wheel on thesame spindle as the measuring-wheel arranged to take up the excess of gas caused by the variation of the water-level so as to bring the excess of gas back again into the distributing-chamber of the measuring-wheel.

10. In a gas-meter for invariable supply the 6 combination with a casing containing a mass of water an inlet for gas to the casing an outlet for gas from the casing a rotary measuring-wheel consisting of a plurality of symmetrical plates soldered together round the 6 circumference to constitute a double series of compartments radiating from the center means for leading the gas at the entrance-pressure into the center of the measuring-wheel means for causing the pressure of the gas within 7 the measuring-wheel to fall from the pressure of entry to the pressure of outlet, a compensating paddle-Wheel on the same spindle as the measuring-wheel arranged to take up the excess of gas caused by the variation of the 7 water-level so as to bring the excess of gas back again into the distributing-chamber of the measuring-Wheel and means for causing the pressure of the gas in the compensator to rise from the pressure of outlet to the pres- 8 sure of inlet to prevent the disturbance of the water.

11. In a gas-meter for invariable supply the combination with a casing containing a mass of water an inlet for gas to the casing an out- 8 let for gas from the casing a rotary measuring-wheel consisting of a plurality of symmetrical plates soldered together round the circumference to constitute a double series of compartments radiating from the center means 9 for leading the gas at the entrance-pressure into the center of the measuring-wheel means for causing the pressure of the gas within the measuring-wheel to fall from the pressure of entry to the pressure of outlet, a compen- 9 sating paddle-wheel on the same spindle as the measuring-wheel arranged to take up the excess of gas caused by the variation of the water-level so as to bring the excess of gas back again into the distributing-chamber of T the measuring-wheel means for causing the pressure of the gas in the compensator to rise from the pressure of outlet to the pressure of inlet to prevent the disturbance of the water and means for supporting the casing against a 1 wall or on a floor.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

EDWARD P. MACLEAN, LOUIS SULLIGER. 

